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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · pit · leaves · lie · ball · net · coach · rash

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rash — a series
  6. net — for catching
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pit — in a race
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lie — to recline
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com